4
FINAL
DRAFT
REGIONAL
YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT
PLAN
-
INTERIM
FRAMEWORK 2015-2016
Introduction
The Department of Education’s policy for youth work is set out in detail in Priorities
for Youth – “Improving young people’s lives through Youth Work”, published in
October 2013.
The policy document (PfY) provides the strategic direction and
overall framework for the future delivery of DE funded youth services.
One of the key actions required within PFY is the development of a Regional Youth
Development Plan (RYDP). It is intended that this will be a 3 year, strategic regional
plan, focused on outcomes, to address the priorities and actions identified in PFY.
As an interim measure, in advance of the development of an initial RYDP, it has
been agreed to develop a framework document based, as far as possible, on the
initial RYDP guidance, to cover the period 2015-2016.
The Interim Framework will provide the context for the development of individual
action/business plans, based on the current educational structures.
References
within PfY to a new Education and Skills Authority (ESA) will be taken to refer, at this
time, to the Education Library Boards (ELBs) and the Youth Council. As the delivery
bodies of the Department of Education, the implementation of actions arising from
PFY will be taken forward by those organisations, within their respective governance
arrangements.
On 9th September 2014, the Northern Ireland Executive agreed the introduction of a
draft Bill to replace the five Education and Library Boards and their Staff Commission
with an Education Authority.
All references to ELBs will be replaced by the
Education Authority when it is established. The role and functions of the Youth
Council will remain unchanged.
Policy context
The strategic planning of youth services must reflect DE policy and be in response to
the assessed need for youth work interventions, prioritised age ranges and priority
groups.
‘Priorities for Youth’ firmly sets youth work in the context of the Department’s
overarching goals:

Raising Standards for All; and

Closing the Performance Gap, Increasing Access and Equality.
It also considers the three enabling goals of:

Developing the Education Workforce;

Improving the Learning Environment; and

Transforming the Governance and Management of Education.
The strategic aims of youth work are stated as:

To contribute to raising standards for all and closing the performance gap
between the highest and lowest achieving young people by providing access
to enjoyable, non-formal learning opportunities that help them to develop
enhanced social and cognitive skills and overcome barriers to learning; and

To continue to improve the non-formal learning environment by creating
inclusive, participative settings in which the voice and influence of young
people are championed, supported and evident in the design, delivery and
evaluation of programmes.
Planning for youth service provision should also take account of a range of
educational policies and services and requires the proportionate targeting of
services, based on need, with a clear focus on those most in need of additional
support to achieve their potential, embrace diversity and overcome disaffection. Of
particular significance, in this regard, are the Department of Education’s Community
Relations, Equity and Diversity Policy (CRED) Policy, the Shared Education
Programme and Recommendation 18 of the Review of Irish-medium Education. In
addition, the core policies of other governmental departments must be considered as
the Regional Plan evolves and enhanced connections made to key initiatives, such
as the Children and Young People’s Strategy, Together Building United
Communities (TBUC) and the development of community planning processes.
PfY also outlined a set of core principles supporting Youth Work in Education. It is
intended that these principles underpin all aspects of youth work supported by DE.

Participation in youth services is voluntary and should enable young people to
develop the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to tackle the issues that
are important to them;

The active participation of young people should be fostered, supported and
evidenced across all youth settings;

Equality and inclusion should be fundamental to planning and implementation
and the values of equality, diversity and interdependence should be at the
heart of youth work;

Young people, their families and the wider community should be involved in
youth work in a meaningful way, with expectations managed within the
resources available;

Young people should expect high quality services, which follow best practice
including the highest standards of child protection;

Collaborative working between the voluntary, uniformed, faith-based and
statutory sectors should play an important part in securing improved
outcomes for young people and the continued commitment from the youth
workforce, including volunteers;

The contribution of the volunteer workforce within the youth sector is
invaluable and should be acknowledged, support and celebrated;

Resources should be used to achieve priority outcomes for young people in
the most cost effective way, according to best practice principles (public
value);

The needs of the young person should be the key focus at each stage of
development; and

Activities should be engaging, enjoyable and planned to deliver improved
outcomes.
Assessment of need
PfY maintains that the strategic planning and resourcing of youth work must address
the assessed need for youth work interventions. Effective assessment of need is
particularly critical; given that DE funded youth work must be set within the context of
prioritised age ranges, priority groups and a clear definition of the need for targeted
interventions, alongside an element of non-targeted/generic provision that is
assessed as needed.
There is a need to develop more robust, systematic use of relevant statistical data at
regional level to underpin strategic planning.
The RYDP will also require the
effective analysis of appropriate qualitative data, available research and stakeholder
feedback, to ensure that a consistent understanding of assessed need is developed
to underpin the allocation of resources across the region, in support of agreed
priorities.
Give the critical nature of this task, a key action, to develop a regional needs
assessment framework, will be taken forward in the 2015-2016 Plan.
As an interim measure, the assessment of need processes, currently operating
within the ELBs, will be maintained and then built upon as a regional framework is
developed. Each ELB currently displays information, relating to assessment of need
and plans at local level, on their individual website.
The development of priority areas for action 2015-2016
At a workshop held for members of the Regional Advisory Group (RAG) on 3 rd
October 2014, the following priority areas were highlighted as critical early actions.

The development of a new funding scheme, establishing clear links between
regional and local assessment of need and delivery requirements

A clear definition of the terms generalist and targeted provision

The development of a scoping paper regarding a Practice Development Unit
(PDU)

The establishment of the Terms of Reference for the Network for Youth

The initiation of a pilot programme to take forward a Small Grants Scheme

The piloting of an Outcomes Framework suitable for all elements of the
service

The development of a framework for a Management Information System
(MIS) for the Youth Service, linked to the assessment of need, proportionate
monitoring and any new funding scheme

The design and development of a three year Regional Youth Development
Plan for the period 2016-2019.
A planning group, comprising of officers from DE, ELBS and YCNI, was tasked with
further considering the feedback from the October workshop and developing a draft
Framework document.
This was then submitted to the Chair of the Regional
Advisory Group and tabled for discussion at a subsequent RAG workshop on 25 th
November 2014.
During that workshop a consensus emerged about the core
actions and priorities that should be taken forward for the period 2015-2016.
The attached Action Plan (2014 – 2015) details the agreed actions, set out under the
broad framework of the Department’s overarching goals, discretely referenced to
specific aspects of PfY. Some of these actions are intrinsically connected and a
further workshop was held on 20th January 2015 to agree the sequencing of the
actions and to establish the most appropriate ways in which stakeholders are to be
involved in the implementation process.
It must be acknowledged that these priorities are being developed in a period of
uncertain financial stability and may need to be revised when future funding has
been decided.
Co-ordination, monitoring and reporting
The Interim Framework will, as noted, provide the context for the development of
individual action plans/business plans, within the current educational structures.
Some of the key actions in the framework document will be taken forward by ELBs
and YCNI, as part of their individual plans. It is also proposed that inter-sectoral
groupings are established to consider a number of key issues. There will be a need
to co-ordinate and manage activity across the entire range of actions, within the
respective
current
organisations.
and
future
governance
arrangements
of
the
statutory